Unrest [Open]

[gordonowesmeabeer]

Who: Barney Calhoun and whoever
What: The natives haven't started rioting. Yet.
Where: Near The Hold
Warnings: Desperate people making desperate decisions


Barney looked rather ominous when fully decked out in his armor, but it made a pretty good hostile environment suit, and was the best way he could think of to minimize his chance of getting sick. It was working so far, but he couldn't live in the suit 24 hours a day.

The little bit of intimidation was helping him for the moment, though, as a huge crowd of unhealthy looking Exasilium natives had been gathering at the entrance to the Hold, which today was Barney's post. From the tension in the air, and the snatches of conversation he could hear, it seemed to Barney that these people were scared and angry, and that they were going to start looking for answers violently, soon. He didn't like the idea of using it here but as he eyed the increasingly hostile looking crowd, his hand kept slipping down to the stun baton hanging from his waist. After all, a crowd could only get so energetic before it transformed into a mob. Then Combine battle armor wouldn't really do him much good against numbers this large.

Care to offer backup before Barney gets mobbed? Mock the crowd from a window in the Hold? Help calm them down? Perhaps you're PART of the crowd, and you're just as fed up with the Initiative as they are.

Comments

[dragonlordbight]

It hadn't taken long for Crucible to notice the growing crowd of people outside the gates of the hold from one of the windows of the Hold. The situation at hand was growing to remind him more and more of the Sailor's Plague years ago in Sanction. A mob of confused citizens was the last thing they needed.

Dressed in his usual choice of golden tunic and brown leather pants, with an added cloak for the rain he soon approached the entrance of the Hold and made his way out. His bearing carrying a certainty of authority and confidence as he stepped out to regard the growing crowd first hand, giving Barney a nod of greetings.

"Let us hope you won't need that," He comments with the slight hint of wryness as he glances to the stun baton hanging from the others waist before his tone turns more serious, "How long have they been gathering?"

[gordonowesmeabeer]

"I'm not exactly itching to bust some heads."

With the voice distortion from the suit mask and his totally concealed face, it was hard to make out his tone, but Crucible could tell he sounded tense. "They've been muttering for days, but they didn't start reaching critical mass since a little after lunch."

[dragonlordbight]

Crucible gave a nod in acknowledgement to Barney's comment, "That would be the last thing we would need in a situation like this,"

He regarded the crowd thoughtfully for a moment longer as he took in the information, he didn't need his telepathy to tell that many were worried, confused and that could easily lead to anger, "Have they made any direct demands?" his voice calm as he glanced back over his shoulder.

[gordonowesmeabeer]

"They want a cure. I told them the guys in the lab are working on it."

Barney glanced up at someone yelling from the crowd. "Must be nice being able to work on it in your cozy fortress! What about the rest of us!?"

He looked back at the dragon, "Which worked out about like that."

[dragonlordbight]

"So I see," Crucible commented with a hint of wryness.

"Perhaps I may be able to help," He looked back to Barney with a confident smile for a brief moment before taking a step toward the crowd. Drawing himself as he prepared to address the crowd.

Finding a nearby box, stepping up onto it before he spoke "If I could have your attention," His voice ringing out loud and almost radiating calm as he raised his arms to ask for silence from the crowd.

[gordonowesmeabeer]

There was a lot of murmuring to the effect of "Who the heck is this guy?" but at least they weren't throwing anything at him yet.

[dragonlordbight]

Once he was sure that he had their attention he addressed that first question many of the crowd seemed to have, "I am Hogan Bight, Lord Governor of the city of the Lord city Sanction, transported to this world by the Initiative,"

"Many of you are worried and confused, it is to be expected in such difficult times. Know however that the Initiative is doing all they can to stem and develop a cure for this outbreak," He spoke loudly and evenly his voice carrying to all in crowd, with it carrying a sense of calm and reassurance, "I will do my best to answer any questions that you have,"

[gordonowesmeabeer]

"When's the cure gonna get done?"

"Why are none of you guys dying?"

"What about my baby!?"

"This never woulda happened if you hadn't annoyed United Earth!"

Barney was sweating in his suit.

[dragonlordbight]

With an unending calm, Crucible listened to each of their questions before answering them each in turn. His very voice radiating calm, making sure all could hear his replies.

"The initiative have their best people researching and developing a cure, as soon as the cure is found you shall know of it,"

"Many of those you know as transports, and indeed members of the initiative have contracted the disease. We are as susceptible to this outbreak as you yourselves are,"

"If your baby is sick, take them to the hospital so that they may be treated. If not, keep them away from crowded areas and those who may have the disease. That applies to all of you, if you show symptoms of the disease, report to the hospitals or your nearest clinic and avoid large congregations,"

"I cannot speak for the will of the United Earth, however it is likely that they would have set this plague loose whether or not the Initiative had done anything to provoke them,"

His steady gaze sweeping the crowd as he stood there facing them with absolute calm. A glance spared for Barney, a slight smile given as if in reassurance to the tense guard before his attention was on the crowd in full once more.

[gordonowesmeabeer]

The change was almost imperceptible, but Bight's voice more than his words did seem to help calm the crowd. Barney let loose the breath he had been holding, now that it looked like he wasn't going to be ripped apart by a mob.